What Do You Think of Those Funny Softball Cheers?

[softballperformance]

I'm sure that most of you have been around the game long enough to notice all these funny softball cheers that girl use all the time in girls fastpitch. I came across that article online the other day:

http://varsity.evtrib.com/story/113896

That gave the idea of doing this cool Youtube video about these funny softball cheers http://youtube.com/watch?v=SMSX3o5BlHM.

My question is: Why is there so much cheering in girls softball compared to men's baseball?

Here is an article about anti-softball cheers from baseball players:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2008/05/loduca_antisoftball_cheers.html

What do you think? I'm curious to hear your opinion.

Marc

[wadeintothem]

There has to be cheers or else softball would be the perfect sport.. and we can't have that. I've learned to tune it out most times... but sometimes it is very bad.

[coolstuff]

The cheers are part of softball from t-ball right thru college. It's just girls having fun. I don't mind most of the cheers. What I hate is a girl who SCREECHES the cheers at the top of her lungs in a deliberate attempt to annoy not only the opposing team, but her own team, coaches and parents. I find that when this happens, it doesn't last long. I've always assumed that mom, dad or coach (or all three) told the girl to knock it off. I know I would.

[AUbie]

Well I might as well go watch baseball if I didn't want any cheering. That's part of what makes softball, softball

Coolstuff, I agree about the screaming thing, and yes, I've had to tell my daughter to knock it off. I like cheering for your team and I dislike any kind of negative cheers directed toward the opposing team.

[Martin]

I personally cannot stand them, but understand they are a (mostly) harmless way of having fun, staying motivated and focused. Some gender psychologist could write a nice paper on why this practice is derided in baseball and celebrated in softball.

[slider201]

I don't mind as long as the girls enjoy them. I have noticed some coaches require their girls to cheer. That's wrong and defeats the purpose.

[jofus]

I'm about to the point that I ignore them, but it bugs me when the other team obviously changes their volume (usually into the screeching category) as the pitcher pitches, which I'm pretty sure is against the rules, but I've never seen enforced. Just like the rule (at least at some levels) of cheering at the other team, rather than for your team, like several cheers against the pitcher ("too high, too high, you almost hit her eye", and stuff like that), and cheers like "betty got a triple, and you let her have it".

Cheering was one of the things that got my girl interested in softball when she was 9. Now that she is 13, she doesn't like them at all.

[coolstuff]

I don't mind as long as the girls enjoy them. I have noticed some coaches require their girls to cheer. That's wrong and defeats the purpose.

Sometimes tho its a morale issue, when the girls get behind in a game and just sit on the bench like they've already given up.

[hardball]

Slider201 - what age group are you referring to? Just wondering, because I feel differently about coaches requiring the girls to cheer.

My DD has played on teams that did it both ways, and we found it brings the game to a different level. It seems to bring a certain energy to the player at bat when they hear their teammates cheering. When EVERYONE cheers it keeps them unified as a team and energetic and focused on the game. IMO.

I have even noticed watching the other games, that if the teams are closely matched at all - the team with the active dugout seems to come through with the end.

Same seems to go for our team, when the energy is up and they are all saying cheers - the bats come around and the seem to play better.

As far as why... can't explain it. Maybe its positive energy??

[Judd]

One of the bad ones that sticks in my mind is:

She walked her
She walked her
Just like her daddy taught her


I encourage cheering. Usually I am leading it yelling 3 up, 3 down or everybody hits, everybody scores. I think an active and fired up dugout is important and keeps the girls going.